For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 23, 2002

President Bush, Presidents of Central African States Pledge Cooperation
Joint Statement by President George W. Bush and the Presidents of the Central African States

We, the Heads of State of the United States, Burundi, Cameroon,
Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Sao Tome
and Principe, met September 13, 2002 at the 57th United Nations General
Assembly in New York.

We confirmed our commitment to cooperate to pursue regional peace,
prosperity, freedom, and stability in Central Africa. In pursuit of
these goals, we renewed our commitment to the political and economic
reforms necessary to improve the lives of the people of Central Africa,
and mobilize the resources required to advance development in the
region. We will continue to show the leadership required to achieve
these goals as the cornerstone of human freedom and dignity.

We will strengthen the capacity of the Economic Community for
Central African States (CEEAC) and the Monetary and Economic Community
of Central Africa (CEMAC) sub-regional organizations, and work with the
Council for Peace and Security in Central Africa (COPAX)to prevent and
resolve conflict, reduce human suffering, and promote regional economic
integration.

Convinced that peace and security are global, we support the call
by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and President Bush for
Iraq to fulfill its obligations toward the United Nations. We agree
that the UN Security Council must face its responsibilities and
demonstrate the resolve to enforce its resolutions.

We further agreed that cooperation is essential to combat
terrorism, and affirmed our commitment to build regional and national
capabilities to share information and implement United Nations Security
Council resolutions to eliminate and deny sanctuary for terrorist
organizations, networks, and finance across Central Africa.